The Pella boys basketball team evened the season series with conference rival Norwalk last night, handing the Warriors a 55-42 defeat in Norwalk. Though the final score appeared to show a fairly dominating win by the Little Dutch, the game was anything but a breeze for Pella, as no team held any larger than a four-point advantage at the end of the previous three quarters.

Pella’s pressure defense led the team to a strong start, jumping out to a 9-0 lead to start the game. The Warriors would claw their way back, though, and held a 24-22 advantage heading into the halftime intermission. The lead went back-and-forth in the third quarter, but a stunning three-point bank shot from near half court by Norwalk’s Jake Logan at the buzzer gave the Warriors momentum and a 39-37 lead entering the final period.

Not to be denied, the Little Dutch methodically wore down Norwalk in the final period to close out the game on an 18-to-3 run. Pella’s Kyle Newendorp had a monster night, finishing with a career-best 24 points and 10 rebounds; along with five blocks. Nick Dorman also cracked double figures for Pella with 12 points. Norwalk was led by 12 points and 11 rebounds from All-State Center Jake Logan.

The win moved the Pella boys to 6-1 in the Little Hawkeye Conference and gives them sole possession of the league’s best record. The Little Dutch won’t have long to celebrate, though, as they’ll face PCM tonight in Monroe.